5 Better Tools for Cleaning Your Face (and How to Use Them)

Washing your face is critical for preventing unsavory issues like acne and premature aging, but your hands can only do so much. Fortunately, there are a number of face-cleansing tools on the market to help make your face-washing experience more effective than ever before. With so much to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin, but we recommend these five tried-and-true tools for the best cleanse of your life.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Precision Pore Cleansing Pad ($6, sephora.com)
If you’re new to cleansing tools and want to give one a try without making an investment, a scrubby silicone pad is the easiest and most budget-conscious method. It couldn’t be simpler or less labor-intensive, but it still delivers real results. The tiny bristles on the top of the pad work hard to massage the debris out of clogged pores, while the larger bumps exfoliate and overall soften the skin. We recommend using your cleanser as you usually would with your hands, then going in afterwards with the pad, moving in circular motions for the deepest cleaning.

Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal ($18, boscia.com)
Though it looks and feels like little more than a soft grey puff of sorts, konjac is actually a root grown (and eaten) in China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and southeast Asia. Its fibrous composition absorbs debris and impurities, and its surface is so gentle it can even be used in the under eye area. Konjac exfoliates naturally and stimulates circulation without the harsh texture of a scrub or exfoliant, and Boscia’s even better version also contains activated charcoal to purify the skin and reduce bacteria that can lead to blemishes. Konjac sponges are generally used in conjunction with a cleanser for washing and makeup removal, but you can also use the dampened sponge on its own.

Clarisonic Aria Sonic Skin Cleansing System ($199, clarisonic.com)
For the skin care obsessive, the Clarisonic is a must-have. The brush uses sonic technology to exfoliate and remove impurities from the skin better than any cleanser alone. The oscillating motions (between 200 to 350 movements per second) are scientifically proven to improve the texture of the skin when used regularly. The Clarisonic requires little more than the push of a button, and it works great with foaming cleansers, which you can apply directly to your skin or directly to the wet brush head before using.

FOREO Luna ($199, foreo.com)
This facial brush works double duty, using both sonic pulsations for cleansing and lower-frequency pulsations to reduce the signs of aging. The Luna features variously sized “touch points” for optimal cleansing and to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, as well as a series of waves on the reverse side for anti-aging purposes. Its super-gentle silicone makes it a great choice for sensitive skin. It can be used for two minutes twice daily, morning and night, with any cleanser.